BNP demands fair probe into Mirpur fire

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Saturday demanded a fair and neutral investigation into Friday’s fire at a slum in the city’s Mirpur-7 area as such incidents are on the rise, reports UNB.

Talking to reporters after visiting the fire-ravaged slum, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also urged the government to rehabilitate the victims and provide them with compensation.

“Fire incidents at city slums have marked a rise these days, hitting the destitute hard. So, a neutral probe body needs to be formed to look into the matter,” he said.

The BNP leader also said stern punitive actions must be taken if any body’s involvement in the fire incident is found.

He said about 30,000 families lost their all the belongings in Friday night’s fire at the Mirpur slum. “The government must give them compensation and take steps for their rehabilitation. “

Fakhrul went to the slum around 12:30pm and talked to the victims.

He urged the fire victims to have patience, and assured them of providing with financial assistance from their party.

Earlier in the day, the government formed a three-member probe committee to investigate the slum fire.

The massive fire that broke out at the slum on Friday evening was doused by firefighters early Saturday, after six hours of their hectic efforts.